DMK MP from Dharmapuri, S Senthilkumar apologised after calling the Hindi heartland states as 'Gaumutra states' during a speech in Parliament. His remarks were condemned by the BJP. The Congress party, which is an alliance partner of the DMK, distanced itself from the remark.

His remarks came days after Udhayanidhi Stalin's remarks on Sanatana Dharma were blamed for the defeat of the Congress in 3 states, during the recent Assembly elections.

Need Rs 5060 Crore As Interim Relief: CM Stalin To PM Modi In Letter On Cyclone Michaung Damage

Chief Minister MK Stalin stated that infrastructure such as roads, bridges and public buildings in Chennai, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu and Tiruvallur districts have faced severe damage and lakhs of people had lost their livelihoods.

He also requested the central government to send a team to the state to assess the damage.

Sasikala's Plea That She Be Declared As The AIADMK's Interim General Secretary Dismissed By Madras High Court

Sasikala, a close aide of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa, was removed from her position as interim general secretary in a general council meeting after her imprisonment in a disproportionate assets case. In her plea, she contended that the general council meeting was convened illegally and against the procedure mentioned in the party's bylaws.

Enforcement Directorate V/s DVAC After Ankit Tiwari's Arrest

The ED has sought the registration of an FIR against the DVAC officials and a number of 'unknown persons', who entered its Madurai office to conduct searches after the arrest of officer Ankit Tiwari for accepting a bribe of Rs 20 lakh from Dr Suresh Babu, the chief civil surgeon in Dindigul Medical College and Hospital.

Tiwari is in judicial custody till 15 December. The DVAC has informed the CBI of his arrest and the searches undertaken at the ED's office. In its statement after the arrest, it stated that he had intimidated the doctor through WhatsApp calls and text messages.

After the arrest, Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M Appavu said that he had been threatened by 'middlemen' of central agencies for three months.

The arrest and searches came days after the Madras High Court on 28 November ordered a stay on the ED's summons to District Collectors as part of its probe into illegal sand mining on hearing a plea by the state government.

In its affidavit the ED had estimated the total sale value of the sand mined illegally to be Rs 4730 crore.

Senthil Balaji Denied Bail On Medical Grounds; Asked To Apply For Regular Bail

The Supreme Court on 28 November stated that there was nothing serious in Senthil Balaji's health condition and so it could not grant bail on medical grounds. He was asked to apply for bail on regular bail.

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram Questions DMK MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian's Comments Eulogising Prabhakaran

In response to Thamizhachi Thangapandian's comments in an interview saying she would like to dine with 'honourable national leader Prabhakaran' and apologise to him for the Mullivaikal tragedy, Karti Chidambaram said that one could sympathise with Sri Lankan Tamils without being an "apologist & fanboy of the LTTE."

VP Singh Statue Unveiled In Chennai's Presidency College

Chief Minister MK Stalin and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav unveiled a statue of former Prime Minister VP Singh at the Presidency College in Chennai on 27 November. Chief Minister Stalin recalled Singh's role in bringing about OBC reservation and his friendship with his father, Karunanidhi.

Annamalai Takes On Dairy Minister Mano Thangaraj Over Discontinuation Of Aavin Green Magic And Fat Content In Full Cream Milk

BJP state president K Annamalai alleged that the decision to stop sale of the popular Green Magic variety having 4.5 per cent fat content and replace it with the purple coloured Delite variety having 3.5 per cent fat content at the same price, in order to cut costs was a means of cheating the people.

Further, he posted a report stating that a sample of the full cream milk in orange coloured packets, which is supposed to have 6 per cent fat content was found to have 4.79 per cent.

Thangaraj later said that Annamalai was working against Aavin on behalf of north Indian milk companies. Annamalai asked him to apologise or resign within 48 hours if he couldn't prove his allegations. Thangaraj said that he wouldn't apologise, which led to Annamalai stating that he would file a defamation suit.

Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy And DMK MP Kathir Anand Summoned By ED

This is the second time Ponmudy is being summoned. He is accused of laundering the proceeds of excessive red sand mining.

Kathir Anand, the son of DMK general secretary and Water Resources minister Duraimurugan, has been summoned in connection with a case filed regarding the seizure of cash from the residence of his father and one of their associates during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The summons to Anand, however, comes at a time when the ED is probing illegal sand mining in the state. Sand mining is under the Water Resources department held by his father.

Chief Minister Should Be Chancellor Of State Universities So That People's Wishes Can Be Fulfilled: CM MK Stalin

Addressing the convocation of the Tamil Nadu Dr J Jayalalithaa Music and Fine Arts University, Chief Minister MK Stalin said that chief ministers, who are elected by the people, should be the Chancellors of state universities so that the people's wishes could be fulfilled.

Further, he said that Education should be moved to the State List.

Sanction Granted By Governor To Prosecute AIADMK Ministers Accused In Gutkha Scam

Governor RN Ravi has accorded sanction to prosecute two former AIADMK ministers, C Vijayabaskar and BV Ramanaa. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered cases against them in connection with the Gutkha scam.

Supreme Court Asks TN Govt To Submit Proposal To Madras HC Regarding How To Conduct RSS Rallies In Future Without Litigation

A Supreme Court bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Dipankar Datta on 20 November asked the Tamil Nadu government to submit a proposal to the Madras High Court stating how it would ensure that route marches of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) would be conducted in the state without bringing the matter to court.

It passed the order while hearing a plea by the government asking it to drop the contempt proceedings in the High Court.

Supreme Court Hears Case Filed By Tamil Nadu Government Seeking Directions To Governors To Give Assent To Pending Bills

Noting that assent had been given to 10 Bills after it issued notice in the matter, the Supreme Court asked what was the Governor doing for 3 years. It also added that it was not pointing to a particular Governor.

The Court also recorded that the 152 out of 181 Bills had received assent in the past three years. It adjourned the matter to 1 December.

During a special session on Saturday (18 November), the Tamil Nadu Assembly reapproved 10 bills that had been returned by the Governor RN Ravi.

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